Black & Jackson
by The Hufflepuff Marauder
Summary: *SEQUEL to DONT BREAK MY HEART MARAUDER* Erin has fallen for Sirius Black but her life gets more complicated when her Irish mother who has been missing for three years turn up on her doorstep. Sirius learns more about his family and his brothers new change in direction. Lily has finally agreed to marry James. Remus is starting to mistrust everyone and has retreated to Yorkshire.


**Jackson & Black**

**Authors Note: This is heavily Sirius/OC kind of fic. As per usual I do not own the HP universe or the characters. Although it was a long time ago I still remember my first day at Hogwarts, I had my socks pulled all the way up to my knees and my hat perched neat and tidy atop of my head. I didn't make the friends I have now on the first day, even at Hogwarts magic is not always an instant catalyst to friendship. **

**Synopsis: Erin and Sirius are living in Holland Park in 1979 and fighting for the Order is becoming more and more dangerous, especially for half blood witches like Erin. Lily is planning her and James' wedding despite the outside dangers threatening the wizarding and muggle world.**

**This story is about me, well, a version of me and how magic does not always solve your problems...**

Erin was frustrated. She loved Sirius Black and was increasingly perturbed by his family's efforts to ostracise him, they blamed him and said he was acting in an entirely "undignified and un-family way" towards them. He had left off his own accord after Walburga Black had discovered her son spending copious amounts of time in Erin's company (not to mention about 101 other reasons Sirius had calculated over the years at Grimmauld Place). They were deeply under the impression that Sirius would one day return to the family fold -after getting rid of Erin for starters of course.

'There, right there.' Sirius said jabbing his finger angrily at the letter. Erin sipped her hot chocolate her eyes overlooking the rim of her cup. 'Doesn't she see? This is why I don't want anything to do with them. As soon as I don't do what they want I'm the bad person, they never care about me or you or what we're going through,' he ranted angrily. Glaring at the red written words he stared hard at the parchment, it began to smoulder and furl. Bursting into flames on the table the letter crumbed into embers and became a pile of ash.

'Siri it doesn't matter about what your family think of me. It was never going to change.' Erin said solemnly 'your family might've made you but they don't define who you are, do they? You taught me that one'

'They certainly don't, that lot,' he spat with distaste 'I am nothing like them, nothing,' he said his cold grey eyes staring and sneering at the pile of ash. Erin withdrew her wand and whisked the ash away clearing the kitchen table. Their kitchen was small but it suited the two of them just fine, size was only evident when James and Lily popped round and filled the small spaces of their flat were they reminded how tiny their flat in Holland Park really was.

'Which I am very relieved of,' said Erin leaning her head on the palm of her hand. The corners of her mouth twitched up into a smile thinking of all the things the wizard sat right in front of her had had to deal with. He had cared for his Uncle Alphard in the last six months and had been left a large proportion of the fortune, something which had not gone down well with Walburga and Orion Black.

'You think I'm doing the right thing, not replying – I mean if I did it's just inviting them back in to take control of my life again,'

'Sirius,' said Erin firmly moving her mug to the side she took his hand 'you have done nothing but the right thing since you first stepped into Gryffindor Tower. That was enough to make your blardin' mother hate yer to staert with,'

She always slipped into her Irish accent when she was speaking passionately.

'I just hate the whole lot of em,' he said flatly 'bad enough Reg didn't' fancy coming with me –'

'He didn't have any choice, Siri. I'm not defending him,' Erin added quickly seeing the look in Sirius' eyes. 'But your brother is more under your mothers' spell than you were,'

Sirius snorted.

'Your family just take and take, Sirius, and what is worse that family only ever use people for their own wicked ends. You are not like them, nor will you ever be like them.' She said firmly leaning over the table she quickly gave him a kiss.

Erin pulled her hot chocolate back towards her and sipped the remnants, she stared into the mug then back to Sirius who was watching her intently and was thumbing the crevices of his broken wand lying on the table.

'Need to get that fixed,' he commented 'but Diagon might not be the safest place at the moment,'

'Sirius why don't we,' began Erin. There was a sharp knock at their front door. Sirius moved from the table but Erin shot him a quick glance and withdrew her own wand.

Standing on either side of the door pointing her wand at the purple painted wood Erin whispered

'Linea Revelio,'

The door faded into a pale white glass pane revealing the wizard and witch standing in the hallway. Erin rested her wand and cast

'Alohomora'

'You really shouldn't just let anyone cross the threshold, EJ,' said James Potter grinning 'you might open it to the wrong wizard one day,'

'She already did, James,' said Lily smirking shutting the door behind her 'because you are wrong in so many ways,' and closing the door behind her she cast the security charms over the door.

'You two ever stop arguing?' asked Erin

'No,' said James quickly 'this is not arguing, this is Lily thinking she's right,'

'The closer this wedding gets James Potter the less likely it is to happen, for the more times you stand on every last nerve ending I possess, the more likely I am to hex you into oblivion' replied Lily coolly

'If you just came round to our flat to argue and bicker I will be asking you both to leave,' Sirius said grumpily. Standing in the kitchen he filled a pitcher with bight strong smelling apple juice. Lily took up her usual seat on the three seater sofa. Erin aimed her wand at the lights and a lovely warm ambience filled the room.

'What's got up your tail, Padfoot?' asked James his brow furrowed.

'Nothing of great consequence, Prongs' he replied pouring out himself a drink. Sirius gestured up his glass to James who shook his head.

'No thanks, Padfoot.' Said James, then added picking up on his friend's dodgy answer 'fancy a trip to the Shaftesbury later if you are up to it, catch up away from the flat,'

"The flat" clearly meant "Erin and Lily" thought Sirius.

'The musings in my head James- you wouldn't want. But a trip to the pub, wouldn't turn that down- as long as you are paying,' added Sirius pointedly

'I s'pose, if that's what it will cost me to get out of you what is wrong. Lily- Sirius and I are going out,'

Lily turned her head, her thick bushy red hair bobbing over the cushioned back of the sofa.

'James don't take any short cuts, please don't get into any trouble,' Lily said sternly staring at her husband to be. James rolled his eyes flattening his lips he said

'You think I can get into trouble just going to the pub?'

'She isn't entirely incorrect, James,' pointed out Erin. She was sitting in the wicker chair opposite Lily 'the last time you did end up in a muggle police cell,'

'That was a misunderstanding' voiced Sirius a mild firm tone 'a misunderstanding I don't think we care to repeat, right Prongs,' he said staring rigidly at James his lips pressed together.

'Definitely,' said James his eyes flicking from Sirius back to Lily 'we will promise to behave ourselves,' and he walked over and kissed Lily on the cheek he added 'have fun Snapdragon,' and with a flourish of his wand pointed at the coffee table a bright gold bottle of lightly flavoured white wine appeared on the table with two silver goblets.

''''''''''

'''

'''''''''

'I know you, Sirius Black.'

'And I know you James Potter.'

This was their favourite haunt in muggle London and not to mention one of the few places that went directly against the staunch new muggle prohibition style laws and stayed open till midnight. The Shaftesbury welcomed in the actors and dancers from the West End shows after the plays had finished the pub was home to all manner of muggles in costume dress all relaxing after an exhausting night of work. And Sirius and James felt at home, their robes not out of place at all.

'Is this to do with the last Order meeting?'

'Not going there with you, James,' said Sirius shaking his head determinedly 'it isn't anything to do with the Order, well at least I hope it won't be.'

'You can always tell me Padfoot. There isn't a word between us that has never been unsaid. And now of all times, is not the time to keep secrets,'

Sirius drank deeply from his pint.

'I'm good at keeping secrets, Prongs.'

'That was never called into question, Padfoot. I know when you are not telling me the truth however,' said James questioningly. The bell of the pub door jingled and the first lot of actors descended on the pub wearing bright feathers and wild looking African style costumes all singing in high spirits.

'You understand, don't you Prongs. My family is'

'A bunch of pureblood maniac breeders who are incapable of conceiving anything but children,' said James dryly his eyes caught by the bright colours of the robed muggles standing at the bar.

'The maniacs may have gone one step farther this time, Prongs,' and Sirius finished his drink 'another?'

James nodded and Sirius made his way to the bar.

'There you go- try that one- its Italian apparently. Peroni, might be worth a giggleswater or two,' James laughed settling down the drinks on the table. Sirius didn't mind trying new things, lately he had come to appreciate his life a little more since leaving the Black family once and for all.

The two wizards sat in a contemplative silence for a minute or two sipping on the clear fizzy liquid oozing in the bright green bottle, before James spoke again.

'So ready to tell me what has you so riled?' said James slowly his eyes peering over the rim of his glasses at Sirius.

'I had a letter from the hag this morning,'

He never called her mother, not since he had left at the end of his fifth year. Now 19-years-old he wasn't about to stop. James watched Sirius explain, his face difficult to read as not a single portion of emotive feeling crossed it when he mentioned 'the hag'.

'And?' said James tentatively

'I think it has finally happened, Prongs.' Sirius said letting out a small sigh

'The hag has finally done us all a favour and topped herself?' said James sarcastically. Sirius smirked.

'I would be so fortunate, Prongs,' he paused taking another sip of his drink 'it is a little more unsavoury than that I am afraid. It started off innocently enough, usual begging but then, well,'

'Right…' said James slowly. 'Go on,'

'My brother has finally joined Lord Voldemort, Prongs.'

'''''''''''''''

Lily laughed so hard she sneezed her guts out only causing Erin to laugh more too.

'You did not make James do that!' said Erin her body shaking her hand covering her mouth.

'Well he wasn't going to do it was he! If it's one thing James is its persistent Erin, I had to make him see for once someone was willing to say no to him.'

'So let me get this straight, you turned down four proposals?'

Lily had spent the last half hour telling Erin all the wacky ways in which James had proposed and each time she had turned him down it just made him more determined to ask her, like before they were courting.

'In the end it was just embarrassing,' moaned Lily her laughter beginning to subside

'So, how did he actually do it in the end?' asked Erin full of curiosity. She folded her body and crossed her legs. The wine goblet half full Erin drank the contents. Lily watched gladly at her friend enjoying herself and poured out more wine into the now empty goblet in Erin's hand.

'Well,' Lily said as the crystal golden coloured liquid sloshed into the goblet 'quite sweet actually, normal if at all possible for James,'

Lily put the bottle down.

'Normal I didn't think he could be normal around you, thought that's what you liked about him. His more abnormal qualities,' said Erin her eyes glinting mischievously the corners of her mouth twitching and her eyebrows disappearing into her hair.

Lily stared at Erin and recoiling at her words she rolled her eyes

'James' abnormalities are endearing to me Erin, of course. But his last proposal was certainly the sweetest and that is why I said yes to him. Not to mention I didn't want to just get married because of this stupid war. Lots of witches make unwise decisions during war time- just look at Marley,'

Marlene McKinnon had just married Elijah Youngman, a muggleborn wizard working in the Underage Magic Office as an administrator of official records. He was steady. And so unlike Marlene it was untrue. His stiff arrogant look reminded Lily strongly of the old men she saw in her grandmothers phot albums.

'I'm sure it isn't just wartime making Marley crazy Lily- she never was predictable,' surmised Erin. 'Anyway, tell me then. How did your lovesick trained wizard finally get you to say yes?'

'Sweet actually. I thought he might've had something planned again. But he promised to stop asking me until things became safer you know.' Lily explained nodding her head. 'And in fact we were at Mops & Brooms. He had just finished that mission; you know trailing that witch Geraldine about the illegal sale of potions to muggles. And we met for a drink.'

'Okay, sounds remarkably normal I am inclined to agree. So…'

'So…' repeated Lily 'he was busy looking for a table and he said 'if we get one by the door we can always make a quick getaway' and I thought about what he said or a second,'

'Doesn't sound too romantic or like a proposal Lily,' said Erin sceptically

'And that's just it, he said WE, Erin. For the first time in his life was thinking about someone else, and he wasn't just thinking about me either Erin. He was thinking about US,'


End file.
